Riding In Cars With Boys
by alien09
Summary: Rachel's pregnant and Puck wants her to realize that this musical number is a DUET, not a solo. Post-Sectionals. Puckleberry.
1. Chapter 1

It had started when she had felt tired and when she didn't have her period when she was supposed to.

Rachel stared down at the blue line, feeling her hands shake. She looked at the three pregnancy tests she had purchased earlier that morning and flinched at the three azure spots.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Glee, Julliard, Broadway, maybe a movie role or two, perhaps a best-selling album if she felt inclined. Being a teenage mother had not been part of the Venn diagram Rachel had drawn up when she first started high school.

_I'm having Noah Puckerman's baby._

It had been one night. They had ridden the high of Sectionals and Kurt had demanded an after party to commemorate their success. Rachel had never really had alcohol before. She had read about the scandals lowering your inhibitions would inevitably entailed but someone had scoffed, saying how she would never be a normal teenager without experiencing what it felt like to be intoxicated. So she had accepted the flute of champagne Kurt had pressed into her hand and welcomed the heady sensation a few sips had brought.

Puck had been there, though the scowl he had on his life was tempered by the easy posture he had adopted. For some reason they had found themselves side by side and Rachel had spoken to him as if he hadn't spent the last year throwing flavoured ice at her, as if he were a friend. The next thing she knew, his lips had been on her and she remembered feeling fireworks exploding behind her eyes. And then…and then…

She couldn't believe she had done an Amy Juergens.

Her fathers were going to be disgusted, disappointed. She could already imagine what everyone would say as her stomach grew larger and her feet swelled. Rachel instinctively felt her hand go to her belly. There was a life growing _inside _her, a tiny fetus that was going to pop out of her in approximately nine months and change her life forever.

Rachel went to school and walked around in a daze. Puck didn't acknowledge her – he hadn't since the party. Instead, she thought he had made it a point to ensure he wasn't within touching distance of her. Hugging her books to her chest, Rachel bit her lip and stared into her locker. Resting her chin on her chest, she looked down at her stomach. When had she become another statistic?

Glee was spent sneaking looks at Puck. She thought she had caught him looking at her a few times, or that could have just been her mind playing tricks on her. Finn had asked her if she was alright when she missed her cue during their duet. She had told him she was perfectly fine.

Sucking in a breath, Rachel fisted her hands and watched as Puck spoke with Artie as they both stowed away their guitars. Hearing him laugh, she shivered as she recalled the way hi voice had rumbled from deep within his body when he had whispered things into her ear.

'Puck?' It came out as more of a squeak. He barely lifted his head in acknowledgment. 'Could I speak with you?'

'I'd rather you didn't,' Puck said matter-of-factly.

'It's important,' she insisted, pulling at the hem of her shirt. She shot Artie a pleading look and the other teen must have seen something in her face because he bid them both a short farewell.

'What do you want?'

They were alone now and Rachel didn't know what to say. Puck wasn't looking at her and his eyes jumped from her left ear to her right, and then over her shoulder.

The silence between them stretched and grew taunt. Puck resisted the urge to scratch the back of his neck as he casually settled his eyes on Rachel's face. He took in the tense set of her shoulders and the way her fingers couldn't stay still.

He'd slept with Rachel fucking Berry. And he had liked it. Puck had always been able to hold his liquor so it had been interesting to see the normally uptight self-proclaimed diva of the Glee club cut loose. She had done something with her hair that made it loop and curl softly at her shoulders and the red lipstick she had donned for their last hurrah on stage hadn't budged. The effect had stirred something inside Puck, though at the time had had chalked it up to her being a good-looking Jew.

Watching her laugh and smile and talk, he had given in to the urge that had been lingering in the back of his mind. Sealing his mouth over hers, hearing her moan and whimper as he traced his hands over her small, small frame, Puck had never wanted someone so bad in his life.

'**You sure about this Rachel?' He asked her, hands resting on the edge of the hem of her skirt. Her hair fanned out on the pillow of Kurt's bed and he could hear the bass thumping overhead. **

**In the back of his mind, he could picture the horrified expression on the kicker's face if he ever found out what Puck and Rachel were going to do on his sheets. **

'**More touching Noah.' His name fell from her lips like a song, short of breath, and then her arms were around his neck.**

One night stand, that's all it was, Puck had told himself the next day. Rachel hadn't mentioned anything, but then again Puck had deliberately made sure that she didn't have a chance too. Puck had never thought he would be hiding from a girl, least of all from a girl he had never really thought about for more than two seconds, but when he couldn't get her out of his head – well, he didn't want to hear her say it had been a mistake.

'I'm pregnant.'

Two words that made everything around him shatter. Rachel was biting her lip and looking down at her Mary Janes, arms wrapped tight around herself like a shield.

'What?' Puck asked, his voice hoarse.

'I'm with child,' Rachel repeated shakily. 'With _your _child.'

'Are you sure?' Rachel fixed him with an incredulous glare and Puck summoned up the feeling of her biting his shoulder as he tried to ease the pain somewhat.

'I have only ever had one sexual partner,' Rachel hissed through her teeth, Puck wincing.

'I…I…_fuck_,' Puck finally choked out, feeling his legs wobble. He collapsed into one of the hard plastic chairs, cradling his head in his hands. '_Fuck_.' He looked up at Rachel.

'You're sure?'

'Yes,' she sounded about as tall as she was. Puck swallowed the lump in the back of his throat, numbly tracing the lines on his palm.

'Have you told anyone else?'

'_No_.' The defensive tone made his hackles rise.

'What? Ashamed you slept with me?' Her features tightened.

'I'm _pregnant _you imbecile! I'm sixteen and…and I'm not equipped to deal with this! You can walk around and pretend that everything's the same but everyone is going to take one look at me and _know_.' Her eyes were glassy and the last word ended in an octave so high Puck was surprised she had managed it at all.

'Everything's not the same Rachel.' He saw her startle when he said her first name.

_Rachel's mouth trailing down his neck, her tongue laving that spot behind his ear and then breathing slow and soft on it._

Puck shifted in his seat. He got to his feet and tried to ignore the hurt when she inched away from his outstretched hand.

'I can take care of it you know.' Rachel's mouth formed an O as her brown, doe eyes met his green ones. 'You and the baby. I'm not going to just ditch you and make-believe.'

'You are?'

_I'm not a deadbeat like my Dad._

'I have my pool business and we can…we can figure this out together.' This time she didn't move when he laid a hand on her shoulder. Instead, she threw herself into his arms and he tried to ignore the fact that she fit him like a jigsaw puzzle.

_Hell I'm just a kid myself. How am I gonna raise one?_

'I'm not ashamed I lost my virginity to you,' she mumbled into his shirt.

'What?' Puck blinked, though he pressed her closer hearing her words.

'I don't regret what happened between us. Maybe that sounds crass and unbecoming, especially considering how I'm a young ingénue, but…' She trailed off but he felt her arms around his waist tighten. Puck knew it was wrong to smile but he did anyway.

'Then why did you avoid me?'

'Because you were avoiding _me_,' Rachel pointed out.

Puck couldn't believe they were having this conversation.

'We'll get through this,' Puck promised. Rachel laughed wetly.

'If you had told me yesterday that I would be pregnant with Noah Puckerman's baby, I would have thought you were insane.'

He wasn't sure what to say so he kept quiet. They stood there, Puck didn't know for how long, both suddenly aware that they were bound by more than anything they could ever comprehend.

_She's going to be the mother of your child Puckerman. This crazy, midget-sized drama queen is it._

The thought didn't upset him as much as it should and that scared the crap out of him. Looking down at the crown of brown, shiny hair, Puck couldn't resist pressing his cheek against it. Rachel sighed.

They were strangers starting out on a journey. He didn't know what was going to happen or how. But he wasn't his father and Rachel Berry…well, he didn't know what she was.

_She isn't a one-night stand._

Of that, Puck was certain.


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: due to popular demand, i'm decided to extend this into a multi-chap. updates for this might be more lengthy but it will be done. teenage pregnancy is a heavy topic and since i am such a stickler for realism...well, the perfectionist in me demands some sort of research to make this seem not OOC or surreal. let me know what you think - good, bad and ugly.**

He had offered to take care of it.

Rachel had expected Puck to scowl and tell her to get rid of it. She knew that was incredibly harsh but then again, that one night was all that had ever really amounted to anything involving the both of them.

_He smells nice._

The anchoring weight of Puck's arms around her calmed her down somewhat. She could feel the frayed edges of her nerves weaving together again. Rachel hated not being in control and this entire situation had taken that power away from her. What was she going to do now? Was she going to have the baby? Was she going to give it up for adoption?

'You okay?' The words made his chest vibrate pleasantly. Slowly, and reluctantly, she extricated herself from his hold. The distinct feeling of having lost something flirted through her mind but she pushed it back. Now wasn't the time to consider what her relationship with Noah Puckerman was.

'I'm better, thank you,' Rachel replied neutrally. Her fingers itched to do something so she reached for the hem of her shirt again. Puck noticed her fidgeting but didn't comment, laying a hand on the back of his neck.

'So…what do we do now?'

'You mean what do _I _do now,' Rachel corrected. Puck's eyes flashed.

'I already said I'd look after it right?'

'Yes, you did,' she conceded, folding herself into one of the plastic chairs. She watched absently as the pads of her thumb and forefinger rubbed the soft cashmere vest she had on.

'Then what's the problem?' Puck demanded. The anxiety she had been trying so hard to suppress bubbled underneath like a pot of boiling water.

'Do you realize what you're offering?' Rachel started, voice low as she glanced up at him. His shaved scalp and red letterman's jacket taunted her. 'You're offering to raise a baby. To feed it, clothe it, make sure that it has a decent standard of living. That means food, diapers, tuition – it might even mean rent if my fathers decide they don't want to have anything to do with me!'

'You'll come live with me,' Puck replied stubbornly.

'With your _mother _and _sister_?' She asked incredulously. 'Your mother is not going to want some scarlet woman into your household. What kind of example would that set for anyone?'

'We'll get our own place!'

'No!'

'Why the hell not?' Puck threw his hands up. Rachel rose to her feet, waving a figure in the space between them.

'You can barely stand me!' Rachel pointed out. 'I am not _cohabiting _with a boy simply because I am having his child.'

'Do you know how ridiculous you sound?'

'Puck, be realistic. We're _sixteen_. I mean, even with your pool business I'm sure you barely make enough to cover the expenses you usually incur.'

'So I'll…quit school and-'

'Absolutely not!' Rachel interrupted, looking at him aghast. 'The father of my child will not be a high school dropout.'

Puck could feel the frustration mounting and attempted to rein it in. Shouting at each other was getting them nowhere and despite her small size, seeing Rachel so worked up was kind of scary.

Maybe a little bit of a turn on.

_Shut the fuck up. What's the matter with you Puckerman?_

'Well what do you want to do then?'

'I don't know!' Jesus, did she _have _to bite his head off? He was trying here. 'There's all this…_emotion _swirling around inside of me and I'm at a loss about what to do.' Rachel inhaled loudly, closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. Puck sat quietly by her side, clasping his hands together and staring at the door.

A part of him wanted to tell her to get rid of it. It disgusted him but at the same time it would mean that _this _would all go away. Shaking his head viciously, Puck titled his head back and sighed.

'I'm sorry,' Rachel's whisper made him turn his head towards her. Puck shrugged.

'It's cool,' he said.

'I just…I'm just…' Rachel looked at him, looked down at the floor, and looked at him again.

'Scared outta ya mind?' Puck offered helpfully.

'I wouldn't have phrased it so colourfully, but yes.' Puck snorted at her reply.

'Well if it helps, I'm scared shitless as well.'

'Oh,' she said it as if she didn't know quite what to do with the information. 'Can we discuss this tomorrow?'

'Yeah, sure,' Puck agreed, though he wanted to tie her down and demand that she tell him what was going through her head. Her hair fell like a curtain, shielding her face from view. Her fingers were still going to town on the edge of her vest and Puck wondered if it was a nervous habit. He hadn't ever noticed it before.

'Alright,' Rachel said, sounding as if all the energy had leeched out of her bones. 'That's good.'

'I'm serious Berry,' Puck needed to say. 'I'm not just going to abandon you or whatever.' Alarmed, he saw as a single tear streaked down her cheek. 'Oh fuck, why are you crying? I didn't say anything-'

Rachel laughed, swiping the back of her hand across her face. 'Nothing it's just…you're not what I thought you would be.'

'Yeah, whatever. Just…stop being such a girl,' Puck muttered, shoving his hands into his jacket. Rachel gave him a watery smile and reached for her trolley bag. The loud pink monstrosity screamed at him. Rolling his eyes, Puck calmly took it from her as if he did this everyday.

'I'm perfectly capable of-'

'No need to go all Xena Warrior Princess on me,' Puck retorted, grabbing his own backpack off the floor. 'Just…let me okay?'

Rachel studied him, saw the way he shifted side by side.

_Most guys would have bolted the minute you said what you said._

_He's still here._

_Doesn't mean he's going to be around._

Squeezing her eyes, Rachel opened them and gifted Puck with a small upturn of her lips. The football player shuffled his feet again. As they walked out towards the parking lot, side by side with Puck dragging her pink bag behind him, Rachel speculated what this all meant.

'Where's your car?' Puck asked, sweeping his eyes across the lot.

'Oh, Daddy usually picks me up in about an hour,' Rachel informed him, reaching for her bag. 'Tha-'

'So you're just going to wait here?' He posed, raising an eyebrow. Rachel drew her brows together.

'Of course.'

Raising his eyes heavenward, Puck spoke. 'C'mon. I'll give you a ride.'

'That's really not necessary.'

'I'm not leaving you here alone,' he told her, as if he had just caught her sneaking a cookie before dinner.

'The campus is perfectly safe. I've done it a million times before.'

'Yeah well, you didn't have someone else to worry about then,' Puck pressed, staring pointedly at her stomach. Rachel blushed, deflecting attention from the rush of blood by snapping at him.

'_Fine_. But I do this under extreme duress.'

'Whatever,' Puck muttered under his breath, watching as she stomped off ahead of him.

_Shit. She's going to be fucking menacing once the hormones kick in._


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel knew she was going to have to tell her parents soon.

She just didn't want to.

The car ride home with Puck had been understandably awkward. Neither of them had said a word. After all, what else more was there to say? I'm having your baby. There. Done. Out in the open (per se).

Rachel also knew that she needed to see a doctor. Tracing a hand down her stomach, she wondered if it was supposed to feel as flat as it was. Biting her lip, Rachel closed the door to her room and locked it.

She needed to sing. Scrowling through her library, she finally found the perfect song. Setting up the tripod, she cued the music up and let everything that she had kept pent up inside pour out.

**Young girl, don't cry  
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall**

**Young girl, it's all right  
Your tears will dry, you'll soon be free to fly**

**When you're safe inside your room you tend to dream  
Of a place where nothing's harder than it seems  
No one ever wants or bothers to explain  
Of the heartache life can bring and what it means**

Puck stared transfixed at the scene, his chest constricting.

**When there's no one else  
Look inside yourself  
Like your oldest friend  
Just trust the voice within  
Then you'll find the strength  
That will guide your way  
If you will learn to begin  
To trust the voice within**

**Young girl, don't hide  
You'll never change if you just run away  
Young girl, just hold tight  
And soon you're gonna see your brighter day**

**Now in a world where innocence is quickly claimed  
It's so hard to stand your ground when you're so afraid  
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold  
When you're lost outside look inside to your soul**

It had always surprised him how Rachel made singing into an art. The way she made the words lift, dip and lilt painted a picture so vivid in your mind, laid her emotions bare for all to see.

**When there's no one else  
Look inside yourself  
Like your oldest friend  
Just trust the voice within  
Then you'll find the strength  
That will guide your way  
If you will learn to begin  
To trust the voice within**

**Yeah...  
Life is a journey  
It can take you anywhere you choose to go  
As long as you're learning  
You'll find all you'll ever need to know**

**You'll make it  
You'll make it  
Just don't go forsaking yourself  
No one can stop you  
You know that I'm talking to you**

**When there's no one else  
Look inside yourself  
Like your oldest friend  
Just trust the voice within  
Then you'll find the strength  
That will guide your way  
If you will learn to begin  
To trust the voice within**

**Young girl don't cry  
I'll be right here when your world starts to fall **

The last note lingered, finally dying down like a haunting, shadowy whisper. Puck saw the way Rachel had clutched at her blouse throughout the song, the way sometimes her voice quivered during some of the words.

Is this how she felt? Like she was all alone? Well she wasn't, Puck thought, gritting his teeth. He was just as much a part of this as she was. She didn't _have _to deal with this alone. He _wanted _to help her.

He pressed down hard on the mouse, his temper flaring when he caught sight of some of the comments people had left behind.

_Go get sterilized? Who the fuck is hedgehog789? _

Abruptly closing the window, Puck turned his computer off. He glanced at his guitar but decided against it. All the frustration and agitation he could feel beneath his skin needed an outlet, but strumming along to Neil Diamond wasn't going to cut it this time. Throwing himself onto his bed, he grabbed his pillow and buried his head under it. His sister was home which meant he couldn't go over to Finn's and hang out.

_Ah fuck. Finn._

Shit. His best friend was going to blow a gasket when he found out Puck had knocked up Rachel, not to mention done the horizontal mambo with her as well. It didn't take a genius to figure out Finn had more than a little crush on Rachel. Puck could see it, now that he thought about it. Not only was her mouth capable of _very _nice things, he had to admit Berry had a tight body underneath those prudish blouses and slutty skirts she pranced around with.

_Really Puckerman? Really?_

Groaning, Puck contemplated suffocating himself.

_You got a girl pregnant at seventeen. Way to go dumbass. Let's see your mother handle that one._

His mum was going to be disappointed. She'd mentioned that he should date a Jewish girl a few months ago. Somehow, he didn't think she meant it quite this way. Abigail Puckerman was a strong, proud woman who didn't take shit from anyone. Puck had watched her raise two kids by herself and if there was anyone he considered a hero, his mother came pretty close. Telling her that her only son was going to become a father in less than nine months?

It would either be a massacre or he would become a deadbeat just like his dad in her eyes.

_You're not abandoning the kid. You're not walking out on Rachel or the baby. _

Yeah he knew that. That decision had already been made.

_Where's the money going to come from? How're you gonna juggle school and raising a fucking baby? _

Puck screamed into his pillow.

_What about Rachel?_

The last thought rang through his head like a death knell. He barely knew the girl apart from Glee and his weekly slushie facial. Great, he'd been a complete asshole to the mother of his child. It'd be a wonder if she even wanted him in the kid's life.

Puck's fingers dug into the pillow.

Because Rachel could just decide one day she was capable of doing this on her own (despite what her Myspace video claimed), that she didn't one some deliquent with a mohawk being in her son's or daughter's life. A bad influence, she would say in between a tangent on ivy-league schools and an upper middle-class lifestyle.

He ran a hand down his shaved scalp, fingers encountering the beginnings of regrowth. Maybe he should grow his hair out, show her that he was serious.

_You did not just think that._

Grasping his pillow, he threw it viciously. It knocked over his Little League trophy, Puck wincing as the small gold statue thudded loudly against the floor. He waited, holding his breath, to see if his sister would come running.

_Dude, your sister is going to be an aunt at eight._

The thought made his blood still. Puck reached for his phone and flipped it open before realizing that he didn't have Rachel's number.

Looking down at his cell blankly, he wondered how screwed up his karma was for this to happen to him.

**a/n: lyrics are 'the voice within' by christina aguilera.**


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel made lists.

It was a fall back. If Mr Schue gave Mercedes a solo, she made a list. If someone threw a cherry slushie in her face, she cleaned up and made a list (usually involving the best methods of torture involving frozen ice). She was pregnant now, so she Googled and then set down to work. It was a distraction, a way for her to regain some kind of control over a situation that was looking increasingly more daunting every time she sat down and thought about it.

**Rachel Berry's List to Ensure a Healthy and Smooth Pregnancy  
**

**1. Locate and secure a respected and affordable OB/GYN for prenatal visits**

**2. Find out about Puck's medical history**

**3. TELL PARENTS**

**4. Start saving for new clothes or in the alternative a Belly Belt**

**5. Find out about health insurance**

**6. Prenatal vitamins**

**7. Eat healthy**

**8. FIND A JOB**

_**This list is subject to change. Please treat this as a guideline and not a fixed plan. Input from Noah Puckerman is welcome.**_

This was what she shoved into Puck's hands the next morning at his locker. She had stood around the corner for a good fifteen minutes debating whether he would actually acknowledge her. Finally, after receiving weird looks from people, she had raised her chin and stalked towards him.

'What the fuck is this?' Puck asked, staring down at the pink lined paper. 'Why the hell is it pink?'

'I made a copy for you,' she said, refusing to deign his question with a response. 'It's a list. As you can see I made a notation indicating that your suggestions will be taken into consideration.' She pointed at the postscript written in her tight, loopy cursive.

'Thanks,' he replied dryly. 'You don't need a job. I already have a job.'

'Do you possess health insurance?'

Puck screwed up his face. 'I don't think so.'

'Neither do I. The average prenatal visit costs approximately one hundred and thirty-three dollars according to national statistics. I will need roughly fourteen prenatal appointments until I deliver, which will add up to one thousand, eight hundred and sixty-two dollars. And that is not taking into consideration the added costs of, say, ultrasounds or blood work.'

Puck gaped at her.

Rachel nodded her head. 'I need a job.'

He scanned the list again and then looked up at her. She watched as he dug through his pockets and retrieved his cell. Tilting his head, he curled her fingers around the phone.

'Put your number in. And give me yours. We might need it for emergencies and shit,' he mumbled, folding her list into a small square. Rachel nodded mutely and handed her own Blackberry over without question. She contemplated whether she could add an electronic star after her name but decided against it when Puck gave her an impatient look. Clearing her throat she grasped the handle of her bag. Students passing by cut their gazes back and forth between the two, some leaning over to their friend and whispering.

Realizing that _Rachel Berry _was speaking to _Noah Puckerman_, and wondering why Puck still hadn't told her to get lost, she worried her lower lip.

'I'm sorry. I didn't stop to consider how it would look for the both of us to be conversing,' she said and Puck blinked.

_What the hell did she just say?_

'What?' He asked somewhat stupidly, banging his locker close.

'Well, I'm the school freak,' he could tell that she was trying to mask the bitterness colouring her tone, 'and you're well…'

'I'm a stud?'

'Popular,' she finished lamely. Something inside him twisted at her words.

'You think I fucking care what these people say about me?' He demanded, leaning his face down closer to hers.

'You did before,' her voice wavered and he saw her eyes flicker to his lips for a second.

_Interesting._

'That's right. _Before_. Before Glee and before…this,' he waved a hand down her frame, stopping at her belly. 'So get used to having public conversations with me.'

She could only manage a weak nod before the bell rang. Smirking he walked off towards Spanish, relishing in the fact that he had made Rachel speechless.

When lunch rolled around Rachel found herself abandoning the solitude the choir room afforded her and seeking out human companionship. Puck's words had looped through her mind incessantly and she had spent most of English and World History trying to tease out any hidden meanings or implications that she had missed.

_What did he mean when he said conversations? Does this mean we're friends, acquaintances, casual acquaintances? _

It soon dawned on Rachel that Puck and her had never actually had a _real _conversation, one that wasn't Glee-related or alcohol induced. She absently unpacked her lunch, placing the tupperwares neatly side by side as Kurt and Mercedes argued over whether Britney needed to revamp her hair (_because_, Kurt said, _bangs were so last year_).

'Hey Rach,' Artie startled her ever so slightly. 'You okay?'

She gave him a small smile. 'Of course.' _I'm just having a baby at sixteen with a boy I know practically nothing about save for the fact that he possessed a fondness for throwing grape slushies at me. Other than that, everything's just peachy._

'You sure? You've been acting a bit strange since I left you in the choir room with Puck.' His tone was joking but Rachel saw the serious set of his eyes.

'I'm positive Artie. Thank you for your concern.'

Artie shrugged. 'That's what friends are for.'

This time the smile she gave him was genuine and full.

_Friends. You have friends who can _help.

_But what will they think? What will they say?_

_What if they don't want to be associated with a teenage mother?_

She speared a crouton viciously and took a bite, chewing over the crunchy bread and tasting the garlic and oregano her Dad liked using. Suddenly her stomach lurched.

_Oh no._

The crouton tasted like sawpaper and she could feel her insides roil around. She got to her feet abruptly, clapping a hand over her mouth as she headed towards the girls bathroom.

Puck felt something collide against him and glanced down to see Rachel.

'Sorry,' she called absently, ducking under someone's arm as she disappeared through the doors of the cafeteria.

'Was that Rachel?' Finn's worried tone made Puck place his lunch tray down, the mashed potatoes hardly moving as it slammed against the plastic surface.

'I'll be right back,' he said, giving no time for anyone to say anything as he pivoted on his heel and followed after Rachel.

_Was the baby okay?_

Looking left and right, he caught sight of a plaid skirt disappearing into the girls bathroom. Hands shoved into his pockets, he made sure there was no one in the halls and pushed the door open (_it wasn't like he hadn't been inside one before_).

'Don't be alarmed at this manly visage ladies,' he called out, knowing that there was no one inside (_like he said, he'd been in here with Juanita Gonzalez once. He made sure to listen at the door now after another girl had emerged from the stall and shrieked to high heaven_).

The sound of someone retching reached his ears. He found Rachel slumped over a toilet, hands grasping the edge of the porcelain like a lifeline. Puck hovered at the entrance of the stall, uncertain.

'Berry?' _You'd think you'd be able to call the mother of your child by her first name Puckerman. _'Rachel?'

'Puck?' She twisted around, a hand wiping at the corners of her mouth. 'What are you doing here?' Rachel appeared to be feeling self-conscious, turning her head away so he could only see the back of her head.

'I saw you running and I just…is everything okay? Is it the baby?'

'It's just morning sickness,' Rachel told him, reaching up and flushing the toilet.

'It's, like, one in the afternoon.'

'Unfortunately whoever named this affliction must have been blessed with a cruel sense of irony,' Rachel replied. She sounded tired. 'It was most likely a male.'

'You want me to get you something to clean up?' He offered and tried not to appear affected when she seemed surprised by this words.

'Could you go to my locker and grab the wipes and mouthwash I have in there?' She said, telling him her combination.

He tried not to think that blessing him with that information meant that there was _some _kind of trust buried underneath everything that had happened between them.

When he came back he rapped on the door and Rachel assured him that it was still empty. He politely turned to the side as Rachel wiped her face and rinsed out her mouth.

'Thank you Puck.'

For some reason it felt weird her saying that name. He remembered the way his given name had fell from her lips, the way she had caressed it with affection.

'Noah,' he corrected her. 'You can call me Noah I guess.'

'Thank you Noah.' This seemed to make her happy and something inside him relaxed.

'Just don't go around advertising it,' he mumbled, making Rachel roll her eyes.

'I'll be sure to keep that in mind,' she replied sarcastically, screwing the cap back on the Listerine.

When she asked why he was following her back to her locker, he gave her a piercing look.

'Look Rachel, in order for this to work we need to at least try at…' He searched for the right words.

'Establishing a mutual foundation of trust and respect?'

'If that means being _at least _friends then yeah.'

Her gaze was appraising. 'I'd like that.'

Puck shrugged, visually picturing the addition he had made to the list she had given him.

**9. Make Rachel realize that this musical number is a DUET, not a solo.**

_I'm going to make her know that she can't just cut me out because she thinks I'm not good enough._

_I'm going to show her she needs me._


	5. Chapter 5

'Here,' was all Puck said before clumsily pressing a piece of paper into her hands. She glanced down, wondering why he was here so early, but then noticed what was written down on the single-ruled leaf.

'Your medical history,' Rachel murmured, trying to mask the surprise in her voice. She didn't think Puck would appreciate it much.

'Yeah. Told my mum it was for Bio. I hope you appreciate the totally emotionally scarring experience I went through,' Puck told her dryly, digging a shoulder into the bank of lockers.

'One thing to check off the list,' Rachel replied as she pulled out the books she would need today. 'Is there a reason you're here before the warning bell?'

Puck didn't answer, merely slanting his shoulders. Rachel gently shut her locker and glanced up at the clock hung over the archway. There was still an hour before class and Puck was still right there beside her, not moving.

'Well,' she announced with finality. 'I'm just going to practice my scales. I'll see you-'

'I'll come with,' Puck said casually, lifting himself upright and grabbing hold of her trolley bag for good measure. Rachel tried not to gape, her eyes cutting back and forth from Puck to his grip on her bag. 'Well?'

_What gives him the right to sound impatient?_

Deciding to just accept things as they were, Rachel cautiously made her way towards the choir room, all the while aware of Puck who trailed beside her silent as a statue. When she seated herself at the piano and he merely sat in a corner, just _staring_, Rachel tried very hard to pretend that she was by herself. After several failed attempts, she twisted around and fixed Puck with a hard, irritated glare.

'Is there a _reason _why you're here? And don't you _dare _shrug!' She pointed an accusing finger in his direction.

'Why? Am I making you nervous?' He had the gall to smirk at her and Rachel brushed off the way it made his angular face that much more pronounced.

'No,' Rachel denied through gritted teeth. 'It's just that I'm not used to an audience whilst I am-'

'So I _am _affecting you then.' He sounded pleased by this admission.

'_Fine_,' was all Rachel could come up with as a response. She pointedly turned her back to him, the opening bars of _Defying Gravity _filling the room. Puck had sat there without a sound until the bell.

During lunch, she made her way to the library. The first thing on her list had been to find an OB/GYN. Taking heart in the fact that the computer room was deserted, Rachel eased herself into a terminal and booted up the desktop. She flashed a smile at Mrs Giles, the school librarian.

'Project dear?'

'Something like that,' Rachel replied and the woman gave her a maternal look. Catching the brief look of astonishment on Mrs Giles' face, Rachel turned around and caught herself facing an extremely toned abdomen. Tracking her eyes upward, she found herself looking into green eyes with brown rimmed around the pupil.

'_Noah_?' Rachel wasn't sure whether to be irritated or surprised. 'What are you doing here?'

Puck threw himself into the chair next to her, his features arranged into a neutral expression.

'Thought I'd catch up on some homework.'

That was a lie and they both knew it.

'_Really_?' Rachel made sure the skepticism was evident in her voice. 'I didn't think you knew what the library _was_.'

Puck snorted, remembering how Finn had announced after practice one day that there was a room in the school where you could actually borrow books ('Dude, they like let you take it _home_. How weird is that?).

'Shows what you know,' Puck shot back, craning his neck towards the screen in front of Rachel. 'Who the fuck is Ben Hur?'

Puck squinted at the blog, trying to read the words. A few of the words that popped out made his brow pull together in a deep frown.

_Breasts, above average, Berryasm…_

'What the…' Puck gently nudged Rachel to the side, ignoring the way her fingers were digging into his arm as he knocked her hand off the mouse. 'Why the hell is Ben Hur writing soft porn about you?' Puck demanded.

'_Quiet_!' Rachel hissed back. 'It's not important-'

'Are you kiddin' me?' Puck lowered his voice, leaning his face closer towards Rachel as he scrolled through a few of the earlier posts. 'This dipshit is, like, stalking you or some twisted crap like that!'

'He's developed a rather unhealthy obsession with me I'll admit,' Rachel conceded. 'But honestly Puck, I'm sure no one actually reads his-'

'Dude, look at the comments,' Puck bit out, bunching up his jeans underneath his hands. Rachel widened her eyes.

'That's deplorable! How could someone actually-'

The anger that Puck tried to keep a close watch over was bubbling like boiling water, rapid and hot.

'Whose Jacob?'

Rachel's eyes hardened and she slapped his hand away from her mouse. Hastily she closed the tab with Jacob's blog and opened up the Google search engine.

'_Who the fuck is Jacob_?' Puck wanted to know and he could hear some of his ire leech into his words.

'I'm looking for a prenatal doctor if you'd like to help,' Rachel replied, attempting to sound like he had never asked his question.

'Rachel-'

'Noah, I would sincerely appreciate if you would desist with this line of questioning. Jacob's crime is that he is extremely sexually repressed and his outlet is, unfortunately, yours truly. While this has made him creepy and perverted, I've been able to deal with him on my own just fine. I do not need you stirring up trouble and upsetting me. Do I make myself clear?'

Shit, she sounded just like his mother and Abigail Puckerman scared the living daylights out of her son.

'Whatever,' Puck's answer was surly. He disregarded the satisfied pat on the hand Rachel gave him.

_I actually give up my hour of zen to make sure she's fine and Berry goes all Keith Mars on my ass? Dude._

Puck didn't know _why _he'd been following Rachel around all day. Except for the times they were in class, the left tackle had made it a point to know where Rachel was at all times. He'd arrived at school earlier this morning to give her his medical history (he was still trying to scrub out the lecture his mum had given him about prostrate cancer from his memory) and stuck around to watch her go through her scales. While he knew that his presence had set her on edge, Rachel had gradually loosened up and her voice had filled the choir room like an ocean. Puck had been perfectly content to sit there and soak it all up, let her singing push and pull at him like waves lapping against the sand. But knowing Rachel was safe – that his baby was safe – had brought him a measure of peace.

'What about this one?' Rachel's suggestion brought Puck back. Blinking, he flicked his eyes over the website.

'The Lima Health Department?'

'Yes. They offer prenatal services on a sliding fee. Considering the fact that neither of us are insured at the moment, the fact that they won't turn us away if we don't have the necessary funds seems satisfactory.' Rachel lowered her voice, eyes flirting to either side before speaking. 'I can have the pregnancy confirmed by a professional.'

'What? You're not sure-'

'Of course I'm sure. Do you really think I would have told you if I wasn't certain? I purchased numerous at-home tests and they were all positive. But it doesn't hurt to have a second opinion.'

'Alright,' Puck tried to sound soothing. The irritation that had coloured Rachel's speech melted away in an instant to produce a glowing upward turn of the lips.

_Jesus fucking Christ. That shit isn't normal._

'Would you be available to accompany me to the clinic today?'

'Yeah, that's cool.' He had football but he'd ditch. Tanaka could deal without his most awesome player for a day. Maybe all that extra attention could go towards making the others not suck so hard. Because, Puck thought as his eyes shifted towards Rachel's stomach, a full-ride scholarship was going to be the only way he would make it to college.

'It's says here that the clinic is a walk-in,' Rachel murmured. 'That's good.'

Puck made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat.

Half an hour more till the end of lunch. Puck grabbed his Algebra book out of his bag, deciding that he might as well try to figure this shit out while he had the time. Chewing the end of his pencil, Puck tried to make sense of the numbers and equations in front of him.

'Do you need help?' Rachel's face was shy but genuine.

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he didn't need her help. Noah Puckerman had gotten by so far being a lone wolf and it suited him just fine. Watching his mother fade away after his dad had walked out, Puck had made a decision to never let himself depend on another person that much. You want things done, you get it done yourself.

But if he was going to convince Rachel that this whole thing was going to be a duet, Puck figured he may as well lead by example.

'You understand this?'

'Of course,' Rachel looked at him as if he was mentally challenged (in her mind, it was possible that that was how she saw him – and maybe it pissed Puck off a little).

'I'm not dumb,' he didn't know why he was defending himself to this girl, but he was.

'Well, obviously not. You need to maintain a B average to qualify for Glee or football. Appearances to the contrary, I believe that if you applied yourself to your studies as much as you do your other extra-curricular…activities-' Puck could tell by the look on her face that she was remembering the slushie facials and dumpster diving he had subjected her and Kurt to, 'then you would be taking AP classes alongside me.'

It wasn't a common occurrence for people to have anything nice to say about him. Aside from his sister and mother – who were, like, _obligated _to love him – Finn and Mrs Hudson had been the only others outside of his family to see Noah rather than Puck. And it looked like Rachel was as well, whether or not it had been a conscious decision on his part.

Letting out a ragged sigh, as if it were a huge hardship for him to have to admit this, Puck nudged the open textbook a little towards Rachel.

'Question fourteen,' Puck said, glancing down at the exercise book he had written on. Producing a pink pen with a rubber star on top – which Puck admitted kind of freaked him out and made him want to laugh because, really, _only Rachel _– the petite girl scratched out numbers and lines and arrows as she explained.

'Dude, you're a freakin' smart ass,' Puck mumbled when suddenly everything clicked into place.

'Objectively I would say I'm smart. Though I doubt my derriere has anything to do with it,' was Rachel's reply.

They spent the time until lunch was over sitting side by side, elbows brushing and heads bent together.

_What an adorable couple_, Mrs Giles thought as she passed by.

'Thanks Rachel,' Puck told her, haphazardly shoving everything back into his backpack.

'If you require assistance, please feel free to let me know. I don't mind.'

Puck licked his lips.

_With those knee socks and short skirts? Maybe I could get her to tell me my books are overdue, get her to let her hair down and shake it, a pair of glasses to top things off…_

'I'll keep that in mind,' Puck said instead, walking her to class.

'I'll meet you outside-'

'What's your last class?'

'Spanish I think.'

'Just wait for me outside,' Puck stated, tossing a wave behind his shoulder before she could reply.

_Now to find out who the fuck Jacob is._

**a/n: no, quinn isn't pregnant in this fic. i think it'd be a little too much baby mama drama if puck had TWO of em, ya know? one teenage pregnancy is enough for any seventeen-year-old boy.**

**This chapter tormented me for ages. Hopefully it came out okay.**

**Over to work on "Over the Edge of the Burning Sun" now (shameless plug for my Supernatural/Angel fic. please check it out?).**


	6. Chapter 6

Rachel sat on the examination table, kicking her legs absently. The scrubs they had given her crinkled with every movement she made and it contrasted sharply with the otherwise quiet stillness of the room. Puck was waiting outside. The gynecologist at the clinic had wanted to do a pelvic exam and while Rachel understood that Puck had already seen her naked, Dr Yang had taken one look at the petite girl's face and politely requested that the football player wait outside. Puck had, but now without a dark scowl on his face.

The door opened and the Asian doctor gracefully swept towards her desk, her thick black hair falling over her shoulders as she glanced down at something on her table.

'Well Rachel, I've just given your urine sample to the nurse but based on what you've told me and the exams I just did…' Dr Yang trailed off, smiling at Rachel kindly. 'It's safe to say you're pregnant.'

Rachel let out a measured breath, her fingers digging into the cool metal underside. That confirmation was it then. She had thought that maybe it would make the situation more clear but instead, all she felt was everything spinning just beyond her reach.

'Rachel?' The kindly tone made the teenager blink and she offered Yang what she hoped was a believable smile.

'I'm sorry. I just…you were saying?'

'Would you like me to get the father?' At Rachel's nod Yang stepped out of the room. A moment later Puck was beside her, looking about as awkward as she felt.

'So what's the verdict?' He asked, low enough so that only Rachel would hear. She simply bobbed her head. Puck didn't say anything.

'Now you're about four weeks along,' Dr Yang spoke, cutting her almond eyes back and forth between the two of them. 'I'd recommend scheduling your first prenatal visit in about four weeks.'

'Do you have any recommendations?' Rachel felt her voice shake towards the end but straightened her shoulders. Puck shifted closer to her side and she could feel the warmth through the thin material of the gown.

'Would you be more comfortable with a woman?'

'I think so,' Rachel answered.

'Dr Montenegro then,' Yang stated confidently. 'She's on vacation in Washington at the moment but she'll be back in the next week or so. Angela will be happy to walk you through this.'

Dr Yang hesitated before continuing. 'Have you considered abortion?'

Rachel felt Puck stiffen so abruptly beside her that it made her reach over to grab his hand. Gripping it tight, she gave her answer.

'I…I don't think I could go through with the procedure,' Rachel told Yang. The Asian woman seemed to soften her eyes, dipping her head to the side.

Puck squeezed her hand.

'Alright. The Health Department offers a sliding fee so don't worry about the money so much for now. You just work on keeping you and the baby healthy, alright sweetheart?'

Rachel felt her throat close up because of how _nice _the words were, how maternal. While she adored her fathers, there were times that Rachel wished that she knew her mother. There were just some things girls weren't supposed to talk about with their dad. Boys, period pains, boys.

Said boy in question still hadn't let go of her hand.

'Why don't we let Rachel get back into her clothes?' Yang suggested. Puck felt Rachel slowly release her deathhold on his hand and pick up the neatly folded pile of clothes on the plastic chair. Sliding the privacy curtain around to block herself from view, Puck found himself alone with the gynecologist.

Peering at her out of the corner of his eye, Puck found the Asian lady watching him. Studying him.

_Probably wondering how a straight arrow like Rachel got mixed up with someone like me._

Clearing his throat, he finally looked over at her expectantly.

'Can I help you with something?' He asked her, trying to be polite.

'I've seen too many teenage mothers walk through my doors young man,' Yang started.

'Yeah?' He replied shortly, feeling his defenses go up.

'That girl in there is terrified. So don't pull any knuckleheaded stunts, got it?'

'Wasn't planning too,' Puck mumbled. 'Isn't there something in the Hippocratic oath about being impartial about your patients?'

Yang snorted and for some reason, this made Puck respect her a little bit more than he actually had.

'I'm very Grey's Anatomy about my approach,' Yang answered dryly. The curtain rustled loudly and Rachel stepped out in her skirt and blouse, biting her lip.

After thanking Dr Yang, and leaving with the older woman's business card and a warning look for Puck, they made their way towards the reception area.

'Noah?' Rachel's voice was small, meek. Puck hummed his response, frowning at a guy who was eyeing Rachel's legs.

_Note to self: get Berry some jeans._

'You've been quiet,' she sounded almost accusatory.

'What do you want me to say?' Puck questioned as he placed a hand at the small of her back.

'Something encouraging.' Her tone lilted at the last word, making it sound like a query rather than a statement.

'I'm going to be praying you don't get cankles,' he answered her seriously. Rachel smacked him on the arm. 'Ow! What?'

'_Honestly _Puck,' Rachel hissed through her teeth, exasperated. 'Don't you feel the least bit…don't you feel like this is suddenly _real_? We have incontrovertible proof that I am carrying a child and you're standing there laughing-'

'Hey,' Puck cut her off, hackles raised. 'Don't start that shit with me alright? You think I don't realize what the fuck just happened back there? Because I do.'

'There is no need to _yell _at me.'

_Ah crap. Are those tears?_

Rubbing a hand through his mohawk, Puck ignored the dirty look a nurse was giving him and gently brought Rachel to a halt.

'I'm sorry, okay? This is just…Dr Yang just went all the Godfather on me back in her office.'

'What?' Rachel prompted, furrowing her brow before her lips pulled into a smile.

'You don't have to look so happy about her wanting to hand me my ass,' Puck muttered under his breath. 'Point is I'm _here _and you're _here_. So, like, let's just be here _together _and figure this shit out.'

'I have to say that your maturity about this situation is both surprising and welcome. It has completely shattered my notion that you had the emotional range of a teaspoon,' Rachel told him matter-of-factly. Puck decided to regard her words as a compliment.

'C'mon. Let's go pay and book the appointment,' Puck said out of the corner of his mouth.

He ignored her protests as he fished out a fifty to pay for the visit to Yang and Rachel finally piped down when the receptionist behind the counter steered them towards a date for their prenatal with Dr Montenegro. Puck winked as the moderately attractive redhead tossed him a flirtatious look and then winced when he felt Rachel's elbow dig into his side.

'Thank you,' Rachel said curtly, all but grabbing the appointment card out of the auburn-haired woman's hand before stomping off towards the exit. Puck hurried after her after giving the receptionist an apologetic shrug.

'Slow your roll Berry,' Puck grated out, reaching to grasp Rachel's shoulder. She ducked out of his reach. 'What's the problem _now_?'

Rachel kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, her legs eating the distance between the entrance and the open-air parking lot. Spotting Puck's truck, she hurried her pace.

'Rachel! Jeez! Is this about the money?' Puck demanded.

_No. This is about the fact that you have the audacity to flirt with another woman in the presence of the mother of your unborn child!_

'I'll appropriate the necessary funds and repay-'

'I already said I'd take care of it right? So just chill with the equal rights feminism lecture and, like, accept it,' Puck was finally at her side, swinging open the passenger door. He tried to help her up but Rachel didn't want him to touch her, to feel like he had the right to after what he had just done.

_He's not your boyfriend, not your anything. He had every right to make an advance on that woman._

_But you didn't want him to, did you?_

_That's preposterous. I'm not interested in Puck that way._

Puck released an irritated sigh before her closed the door, the frame rattling slightly with the force behind it. He clambered into the driver's seat, twisting his head around as he backed out of the lot.

Rachel swallowed.

'I'm sorry. It must be the hormones making me this crazy,' she told him somewhat self-deprecatingly, flickering her eyes towards his face. A muscle jumped in his jaw before he spoke.

'Don't worry about it.'

Rachel stared out the window, watching the lines painted on the road merge into one blurry block of colour.

_Are you sure you're not interested?_

_Of course I am._

Leaning her head against the glass, Rachel hated how even her inner voice sounded unsure.

**a/n: if you're taking the time to alert this, could you please review? And merry x'mas if I don't update before then!**

**oh and go check out my one-shot 'sandbox pyschology'. it's awesome?  
**


	7. Chapter 7

The next day dawned bright and clear. Puck drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, glancing at the clock once more before shifting his gaze back towards the front door of the Berry household. Seeing the door swing open, Puck straightened and hopped out of his truck.

After the visit to Yang, Rachel had stared moodily out the window while Puck had watched her with increasing concern. The one thing that everyone knew about Berry right off the bat was that she talked. _A lot_. So when she had clamped her mouth shut and merely whispered a soft goodbye to him, Puck had felt moderately concerned. Tracing his mind back over what had transpired before, he had failed to come up with anything he had done that would have pissed her off.

Then again, weren't pregnant women prone to violent mood swings?

Nonetheless, Puck thought he should show her that he was apologizing without actually _saying _that he was sorry. Because he _clearly _hadn't done shit to warrant Berry giving him the cold shoulder.

Well, aside from impregnating her with the Puckerman seed that is. That conjured up an image of his father which Puck pushed aside with a vengeance.

_Like fuck I'm going to be anything like my father._

'Noah? What are you doing here?' Rachel's surprised voice made him shrug.

'I was on the way and figured you might need a lift,' Puck told her, affecting nonchalance. Rachel had mentioned before that she took the bus to school and like hell was Puck going to let her ride _anywhere _in that death trap on wheels.

'Oh,' Rachel murmured, puckering her lips. Puck felt his eyes drift downwards towards them.

'-really wasn't necessary,' Rachel assured him and her stiff posture made Puck realize why he was here. Narrowing his eyes, Puck all but grabbed the trolley bag from her grasp.

'Just get in the damn truck,' he forced out through clenched teeth, barely sparing her a second look as he marched backs towards his truck. The sound of her footsteps behind him eased some of the worry he refused to acknowledge.

Halfway to school and she hadn't said a word. Déjà vu crept over his skin and made them tense.

'Okay. Seriously Berry, what the fuck crawled up your ass and died?' Puck demanded and was satisfied when Rachel turned towards him with an outraged huff.

_So predictable._

'I beg your pardon?' She raised her voice.

'Most of the time I have to talk over you to get a word in edgewise. This shit you're pulling right here?' He waved a hand around to indicate the silence permeating the cab. 'This shit isn't normal.'

'Well please _forgive me _for not chattering incessantly and making you want to _light yourself on fire_,' Rachel shot back and Puck winced. Crap, she had heard about that? Puck reigned in the agitated sigh begging to be released.

'Maybe I deserved that,' Puck admitted, somewhat grudgingly. 'But _dude_, you're acting as if I won a Tony or whatever-'

Rachel scoffed derisively. Puck felt his skin squeak against the leather of the steering wheel as he tightened his grip.

'Berry I'm _trying _here. I get that yesterday was some life-changing shit but are you _mad _at me-'

Rachel saw him winking at the red-haired hussy behind the counter (and _honestly_, she was _clearly _middle-aged and she was _clearly _with Puck) and felt her teeth grind together. She understood that this anger, this _hurt _she was feeling towards the boy sitting next to her was irrational and completely uncalled for. She had exercised an excessive degree of contemplation trying to figure out why Puck's actions with the receptionist had stirred such…annoyance within her.

_He is simply the father of your child. Nothing more. You wanted him to get involved for the baby, not for you._

_But didn't that night mean anything to him?_

That was the question, wasn't it? Rachel could blame the copious amount of alcohol the others had foisted upon her but truth be told, there had been a part of her that had _wanted _Puck. Feeling the hard planes of his back beneath her fingernails, the way he had kissed her so tenderly afterwards…

He had asked her if she was _sure _and Rachel felt the conflicted, unsure look buried behind his eyes click into focus despite her inebriated state.

'More touching Noah,' she had pressed and looped her arms around his neck.

And then after that…they hadn't touched at all. They hadn't even _spoken _to each other until a few days ago when Rachel had told him he was going to be a father.

'I'm not angry at you Noah,' she interrupted him abruptly, trying her best to sound like she meant it.

'Then why the hell aren't you saying a thing?'

'Because,' this time her answer was truthful and somewhat weary, 'what else is there left to say?'

When they arrived at school Puck disappeared after shoving her bag towards her, mumbling something about football practice. He refused to look over his shoulder at Rachel, clenching his fists and wondering why the hell having Rachel so upset was making him this irritated.

'Yo Puckerman,' Mike lifted a hand in greeting as Puck neared the locker room. Maybe doing some reps would calm him the fuck down…

'Jeez, _someone _got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning,' Mike replied, spreading his palms wide. 'Where were you yesterday anyways? Tanaka looked like his head was going to explode when he found out you weren't at practice.'

'What is it Other Asian?' Puck asked, ready to push past the lanky teenager. Mike frowned.

'Not cool man,' Mike actually pouted and Puck rolled his eyes. 'I was going to tell you who Jacob was but _now_ that you're one of the _Mean Girls_…'

'Who is it?' Puck demanded, focusing his attention on his friend. Remembering what Jacob had written about Berry on his blog, Puck decided there were other outlets to release his aggression.

'Dude was in the Celibacy Club with you,' Mike smirked, as if seeing the irony behind his words. 'You know – frizzy red 'fro, glasses…why the fuck do you look like that?'

'If I'm late for first, cover my ass,' Puck informed Mike steadily, walking away before the football player could interject.

When Puck found him, Jacob was threading his way through the crowd towards Rachel. Narrowing his eyes, Puck grabbed the collar of his shirt and jerked the other boy around.

'Oh. It's _you_,' Jacob said somewhat sardonically when he caught sight of Puck's face. Instead of quivering in fear, the much smaller boy actually had the nerve to look aggrieved. 'Would you mind releasing me?'

A few students who passed by gave them odd looks, though Puck didn't really notice.

'So word on the street is you're Ben Hur,' Puck remarked casually.

'That is my blog.'

'I noticed Berry on it.'

'Who am I to deny the public an opportunity to feast their eyes on Lima's testy little morsel? Besides, the independent polling company in my pants has determined by a landslide that she's the hottest girl in school-'

_Oh _fuck _no._

'Listen up Jewfro,' Puck leaned closer, lifting the boy off the ground and hissing through his teeth. 'Berry may think its okay that you write all that shit about her, but I don't like it.'

Jacob paused in his struggles. 'Since when do _you _care about Rachel Berry?'

_Since…_

Maybe it was the night they had taken Sectionals, when she had burrowed her way under his skin. Maybe it was when she had told him he was going to be a Dad.

_Does it matter? _

_Maybe. _

'I find out you've posted _anything _on Berry and I will rearrange your face with these,' Puck remarked, brandishing his knuckles in Jacob's face. He took some satisfaction when Jacob swallowed convulsively. 'That goes for being anywhere near Berry as well. Got it? I'd hate to waste my badass _Fight Club _skills on your scrawny ass.'

Jacob bobbed his head rapidly. Puck smirked and forcefully deposited Jacob on the ground, watching as the other boy scrambled away. Catching sight of Rachel, Jacob immediately went in the opposite direction.

Puck watched as Rachel frowned, glancing up at him with a question in her eyes. Pressing two fingers against his temple in a mock salute, Puck turned feeling that same overwrought feeling from this morning clutching at his chest.

Maybe he would do those reps after all.


	8. Chapter 8

Rachel had spent the rest of the day walking around with one hand placed on her stomach. Thoughts of the baby, of Puck, had consumed had mind to the point where she had forgotten what the students at McKinley regarded her as.

When the slushie hit her in the face, Rachel had gasped. Reflexively she covered her belly and clenched her eyes shut.

'Welcome to Loserville. Population you,' Dave Karofsky said, garnering a laugh from his unintelligent flock. Feeling them walk away, Rachel tentatively opened her eyes and raised her fingers to wipe away the bits of ice that threatened to seep into her eyes. She made sure her head was held high, though the burning sensation behind her gaze betrayed the effect the whispers and stares were having on her.

'Rachel?' Finn's voice was shocked and Rachel sighed, wishing that it had been anyone but Finn who had found her. She turned her head slightly and spotted the confused expression etched onto his face, remembering that Finn had never actually seen her get slushied before.

'Hello Finn,' Rachel said, grateful her voice was even.

'Are you okay?' He was looking at her as if she were something fragile, poised to shatter along the seams if he so much as made one wrong move. Rachel thought that that was a pretty apt description of her state of mind at the moment.

'I'm fine. I just need to procure the spare change of clothes in my locker before this sets in,' she told him as if this was completely normal. Finn blinked slowly, hitching his backpack higher up his shoulder.

'If you want I can go grab it for you. That way you can start cleaning up?'

'Really?' Rachel hated that she sounded so hopeful. Finn gave her that half-smile that made his dimples show through and a part of her melted.

'Yeah.'

She told him her locker combination and which bathroom she would be in, taking a moment to stand there and watch as Finn headed towards her locker. Sighing she finally pivoted on her heel and started towards the girls room, cringing as she lifted a strand of hair coated with sticky ice.

'What the hell happened to you RuPaul?' Santana's snarky tone made Rachel think that today could quite possibly be the worst day of her life. The Latina Cheerio stood with a hand on her hip, her dark eyes taking in the dripping syrup and prominent stain on the front of her blouse. Rachel regarded the other girl warily. Despite the unbecoming nicknames, Santana and Brittany had begun to warm up to the rest of Glee. At first the original Gleeks had been a bit suspicious, especially considering Brittany's unintentional part in masterminding Coach Sylvester's plans for their downfall at Sectionals, but Santana's heartfelt admission that she enjoyed Glee had eventually won them over. Nonetheless, Rachel couldn't exactly classify Santana as a _friend _per se. They exchanged brief nods of acknowledgment and conversed when required to. Other than that, the two of them existed in completely separate spheres of the social spectrum. Rachel was sure Quinn's role as head cheerleader played a small part in that decision.

'There was an…incident,' Rachel put diplomatically, barely giving Santana a passing glance as she swept by imperiously the way Kurt had demonstrated to her. When she felt the hand on her arm, Rachel jerked away instinctively.

'Relax. I'm not going to do anything,' Santana rolled her eyes. Rachel narrowed her gaze.

'Forgive me if I find myself unable to feel a modicum of comfort around a girl who has seen fit to disgrace my name these past few years,' Rachel told her.

'Yeah, okay. I was a bitch. No excuses. That was before, you know, I actually realized you weren't this completely crazy Finn-obsessed _dee-vah _who thought she was better than the rest of us,' Santana commented languidly, buffing her nails against her skirt.

'Thank you. I think,' Rachel replied cautiously.

'You need clothes or something?'

'No,' she wondered if she was even having this conservation with Quinn's right hand or if this was just a dream. 'Finn will be bringing by my spare clothes soon.'

'Finn huh?'

'He was there when it happened. It wasn't as if I staged getting publicly humiliated simply to acquire his attention,' Rachel retorted defensively. Santana gave her what looked like a satisfied smile.

'So you _do _have a backbone. Good. Come on. I'll help you get cleaned up,' she gestured for Rachel to go ahead and Rachel didn't know whether to be careful that Santana didn't accidentally stab her in the back. She accepted the olive branch, however brittle its outreach was, and paced herself alongside the Latina. They were just about to enter into the bathroom when Finn ran up towards them, casting them both odd looks before handing Rachel the small red duffle gently.

'Thank you Finn,' Rachel said and Santana pushed the door open, waving Rachel inside impatiently.

'That's alright,' Finn answered, still perplexed as to why she was with Santana.

'I got this Finn. You can go now,' Santana announced, waving the tall teenager away. Finn gave them another look of pure bafflement before disappearing around the corner. Rachel was already rummaging through her duffle, grasping the black tights and loose purple shirt inside. She grabbed a few paper towels as well.

'I'll just be…' Rachel told Santana lamely and the Cheerio nodded, reaching into her bag. Rachel quickly shimmied out of her clothes, wiping herself down as best she could before pulling on the tights. Glancing down, Rachel reasoned that she should probably invest in a few more pairs. She doubted that her skirts would be able to accommodate her stomach once she started to show. Her fingers grazed her still flat abdomen. Her chest clenched as she realized that she could have slipped and fell, could have had someone accidentally elbow her in the stomach while they tried to hurry away after throwing the drink in her face.

_I won't let anything happen to you, _she told the life growing inside her fiercely.

'You okay?' Santana asked after knocking on the cubicle with her knuckles. Rachel hurriedly gathered up her soiled clothing and disposed of the paper towels into the bin, opening the cubicle and hastily reaching for the plastic bag. Stuffing her stained blouse inside, she heard Santana cluck her tongue.

'You've still got shit in your hair,' was all Rachel heard before Santana was forcing her head under the faucet. Tensing, Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and felt the girl's fingers comb through her hair. The tap squeaked shut and suddenly the hand dryer was above her head.

'My hair,' Rachel moaned, trying to prevent the strands from frizzing out. There was a reason her morning routine incorporated some time with a hair iron and some serum.

'You got a brush?'

Rachel nodded her head and saw Santana pull out the flat bristled brush.

'What…What are you doing?' Rachel couldn't help but stammer out.

'Didn't I say _relax _before? I'm trying to fix your hair so shut up and stay still.'

'Ow!' Rachel heard herself say when Santana dragged the brush through her hair. The Latina muttered something that sounded suspiciously like drama queen but Rachel felt her strokes become gentler afterwards. There was humming coming from behind her, soft but there, and Rachel furrowed her brow trying to place the tune. Hands scraped her hair back and an elastic pulled as Santana fixed her thick hair into a ponytail.

'There.' Rachel fidgeted under the other girl's critical gaze and almost flinched when Santana tugged a few strands loose to frame her features. 'You look practically hot now. Who knew you were rocking that body under your Pippi Longstocking get ups.'

'I appreciate your help,' Rachel decided to ignore the barb buried underneath the compliment because she had come to realize that was just the way Santana seemed to operate.

'Whatever Manhands. You're part of my team now, and no one fucks with anyone who helped me land a trophy,' Santana waved off her thanks, the second half of her statement taking the sting off the first.

'Nonetheless-'

'Berry! Opening the fucking door _now_!' Puck's voice burst through the locked door. Rachel actually jumped and Santana swung her gaze back and forth between the door and Rachel.

'Berry. I'm being fucking _serious_.'

'Well,' Santana remarked dryly, 'it looks like our resident Neanderthal found out about your little _incident_.'

Rachel didn't bother replying, pushing past Santana and almost missed having Puck's fist land in her face.

'_Jeez _Rachel, I almost-'

'What are you doing?' Rachel hissed through her teeth, mindful of the fact that Santana was hanging onto their every word. It seemed that Puck noticed the other girl's presence as well because he fixed her with a heated glare.

'You have anything to do with this Lopez?'

'Santana was _helping _me Noah,' Rachel cut in and Puck cut his gaze back down towards her.

'What?'

'In case its escaped whatever passes for your upstairs brain,' Santana said lightly as she gave herself one final appreciative look in the mirror, 'Rachel doesn't seem to have a problem with me being here.'

'Obviously she doesn't know you the way I do,' Puck muttered under his breath and Rachel looked at Santana, half fearful of what the Latina would do or say.

'Whatever. I have better things to do than watch you get your testosterone on,' Santana snarked, forcibly brushing past Puck on her way out of the girls room.

'Thank you Santana,' Rachel called out. The other girl merely lifted a hand to show her acknowledgment.

'Seriously, what the _fuck _Berry?'

Rachel sighed, not at all surprised when Puck followed her into the bathroom.

'Noah, this is the _girls_-'

'Tell me who slushied you so I can kick their ass,' Puck growled out and Rachel lifted her duffle into her hands after carefully zipping it close.

'No,' Rachel told him firmly, pushing down the faint thrill that shot through her when she realized that Puck wanted to protect her honour.

'Berry-'

'_No _Noah. Absolutely not. You haven't done anything before when you and your peers saw fit to pursue the rather juvenile act of dousing me in flavoured ice. I fail to see the reason-'

'The _reason_,' Puck emphasized, stepping closer towards her. Rachel held her breath. 'The reason is that you're not just some crazy chick who makes me want to light myself on fire. You've got my spawn inside your belly and I sure as hell am not going to risk some asshat doing _anything _to fuck you or my kid up.'

_See? He's here for the child. Not for you._

'As utterly charming as it is to be carrying your _spawn_,' Rachel spat out bitterly, ducking around him, 'I'm sure we would both appreciate it if you resisted any course of action that would involve in you getting suspended for engaging in what I consider to be a meaningless altercation.' Rachel stopped at the entrance of the bathroom, flashing him a curious look. 'How did you know I would be here?'

'Finn told me,' Puck replied. His best friend had actually looked pretty freaked out about the fact that Berry was with Santana rather than the fact that Rachel had gotten slushied.

'Of course,' Rachel mumbled and tightened her grip around the red duffle she had in her small hands. Deciding that it wasn't best to upset her any further, Puck ate away the distance between them in two short steps. Rachel looked up at him from beneath her lashes and Puck thought he could see the resignation buried deep within her doe eyes flicker past.

'Give that here. I'll walk you to lunch after we stop by your locker,' he said, soft enough for her to hear. Because there was no way in hell now he was letting Rachel go _anywhere _by herself until he'd taken the time to politely remind whoever had slushied her that Berry was off limits.

_I'll just ask Finn._

Puck barely noticed Rachel talking as he reached over to pluck the duffle from her grasp, because his mind had just registered what Rachel was wearing.

The loose purple shirt she had on slipped every time she moved to show her smooth shoulders and the dip of her cleavage, the hair piled on top of her head brushing against her bare neck every so often.

And those tights…

_Fuck. She needs to get more of those._


	9. Chapter 9

Puck had spent the rest of lunch seated next to Rachel, which earned him puzzled looks from everyone in attendance. The Gleeks had welcomed him with hesitant warmth, though, and eventually Mike and Matt had drifted over. Puck had his arm slung casually over the back of Rachel's chair, the skin of her neck occasionally brushing against his forearm. It felt like the time he had touched the pan while he was making himself pancakes – a quick flash of heat that made him want to recoil back. But in a good way.

Rachel was still keeping her distance though, putting on an air of indifference towards him. Whatever had happened between them this morning was still there and for the life of him Puck couldn't figure out what was wrong. Aside from the obvious, he thought, gaze straying down to Rachel's stomach. He clenched his fists, remembering how he had felt when Finn had told him about the slushie. It was rage, pure and simple, that had ignited inside him. His best friend had been too busy trying to express how he felt seeing Santana with Rachel to notice, but Puck had stormed in the direction of the girl's bathroom before Finn could finish.

'Hey Rachel,' Finn's voice brought Puck out of his thoughts. The tall quarterback was shuffling his feet and Puck tried to ignore the way Rachel was bestowing a soft smile towards him.

'Hello Finn. Thank you for assisting me before,' Rachel said.

'It's no big,' Finn assured her before his eyes furrowed. He shot a furtive glance at Puck, who raised an eyebrow in response. 'Did you see who did it?'

Rachel's smile became strained. She opened her mouth to reply when Matt cut in, giving her an inquisitive look.

'What happened?'

'I suspect one of McKinley's preferred form of torture,' Kurt remarked wryly, fingering his designer jacket. Mercedes hesitated before addressing her and Rachel tapped her fingers against her thigh, attempting to disregard the stares that the rest were sending her way.

'You okay girl? I didn't want to say anythin' before 'cause I know how you do,' the black girl said, somewhat kindly, and Rachel was grateful that Sectionals had at least managed to take some of the edge off the relationship she shared with Kurt and Mercedes.

'I'm fine. As always, I had a contingency plan in place to ensure that this wouldn't become an issue,' Rachel answered and Mike's lips pressed into a thin line.

'Dude. Are you saying someone slushied you?'

'I believe the proper moniker is a slushie _facial_,' Rachel corrected him dryly, shooting Puck a meaningful glance.

'Who was it?' Matt demanded.

'That's not important,' Rachel brushed him off and Puck felt his muscles tighten at the way she dismissed Matt's words easily, much like she had done with him previously inside the girl's bathroom.

'You're our friend Rach. It kind of is,' Finn told her gently and Puck cleared his throat, Rachel tearing her eyes away from Finn with her cheeks slightly pink.

'While your show of concern is certainly heartwarming, I would appreciate it if we didn't pursue this line of questioning,' Rachel answered and Kurt must have picked up on whatever vibe Berry was sending, because suddenly Puck had found himself listening to a complete dissection of why shoulder pads were the next big thing.

Which was why Puck was tracking down his next target (after leaving Rachel with Kurt and Mercedes of course). Spotting the pleated red skirt up ahead, he cupped his hands over his mouth and bellowed.

'Yo! Senorita Loca!'

As expected Santana spun around in acknowledgment, her lips twisted into a disinterested frown. Puck jogged to reduced the distance between them, stopping out of striking distance. Far as he knew, Santana had been the only other person around when Rachel had gotten slushied.

'What is it Puckerman?' Santana asked, flicking her ponytail behind her shoulder. Puck narrowed his eyes.

'Did you see who the fuck slushied Berry?' Puck got right to the point. Much like him, Santana didn't appreciate bullshit. He watched as Santana pursed her lips together and for a moment Puck was reminded why he had hung onto to the Latina for as long as he had.

'Why?' But then she opened her mouth and he remembered why they had gone their separate ways.

'What do you mean _why_? Didn't you hear me before? I want to kick their ass,' Puck replied plainly, folding his arms across his chest. Santana narrowed her eyes, sweeping her gaze across his face for a moment.

'Don't play dumb Puck. You try to act like a retard, but you're not. I've seen you hanging around Rachel like you're a bad smell,' Santana said slowly, planting her hands on her hips.

'Did I miss some kind of epic womance between the both of you or something? You never gave a shit about Berry before,' Puck bit out defensively.

'Look RuPaul may be a freak, but she's _my _freak now. She got me another shiny trophy and she's part of my team. So like I told her – you fuck with her, you fuck with me.'

_Too bad I already fucked her_, Puck thought crudely.

'Blah, blah, woof, woof bitch. Just tell me who did it already before we both lose our shit,' Puck retorted.

'I already took care of it,' Santana told him and Puck blinked. 'I swear, guys never realize that there are worst things then getting a fist to the face. I blacklisted Karofsky so that moron is never getting any cheerleader pussy as long as I'm around.'

'So your solution is blue balls?' Puck said dryly though he figured he should give the girl in front of him some credit. While Karofsky was still going to get his face rearranged (_hello_. The guy had attacked his _child_, not to mention the woman whose womb his spawn was currently residing in), Santana's method was kind of like a gift that would keep on giving long after the bruises would fade.

'Whatever. I'll be keeping my eye on you,' Santana retorted with a pointed look over her shoulder as she walked away. Puck watched her go (he was _still _a seventeen-year-old boy with hormones, and Santana _was _still hot) and tried to digest what had just happened.

Puck knew that despite her stone-cold exterior, Santana was about the most loyal motherfucker a guy could have. Yeah, okay, she had ditched him because of his credit score (which was about the _lamest excuse ever _but that was all water under the bridge) but truth be told, Santana was practically the female version of him. She was mind-blowingly attractive, had a take no prisoner's attitude towards life, and could pretty much rule alongside him in inflicting pain and emotional trauma where needed. Quinn may be the head cheerleader, but Puck knew for a fact that the Cheerios lined up in a row because of Santana. _No one _wanted to have that kind of wrath brought down on them.

And it seemed like Santana had decided to use her powers of evil for good. Or at least, to shelter Rachel. Which kind of made Puck freak out a little bit because that meant _two _crazy girls finding refuge in each others arms.

Puck angled his head to the side and caught sight of Karofsky. The idiot was actually walking down the halls alone, a smirk decorated on his face. Puck grinned, leisurely making his way towards the hockey player. Screw what Rachel said. This bitch was going _down_.

Puck clenched his fists, the image of Rachel's strained smile and the quiet resignation weighing down her shoulders burned into the back of his eyes. He didn't even bother saying a word, choosing instead to bury his knuckles into the side of Karofsky's jaw.

'What the _hell _Puckerman?' The other boy ground out, cradling his cheek.

'Stay the fuck away from Rachel Berry. Got it?' Puck hissed through his teeth, making sure his back was straight and his shoulders were broad.

'Since when?'

'Since I said so asshole.'

'What? Are you fucking her again? Man Berry must have spread her legs _a lot_-'

This time Puck broke his nose, fisting a hand into Karofsky's collar and lifting the other boy off his feet.

'Listen up you piece of shit. Berry's _mine_. Is that computing through your thick, brain-damaged skull? You come near her again and I'll kill you,' Puck said the words casually, as if he were commenting on the weather.

'You think you scare me Puckerman?' Karofsky spit out, the blood from his nose dripping onto Puck's hand. 'You and Hudson aren't worth _shit_. Waving around that rainbow flag like you're _proud _to be a freak?'

Puck clenched his jaw, feeling the muscle flex underneath. What the hell was this guy talking about? Noah Puckerman was nothing but a fucking _badass _thank you very much.

'Doesn't change the fact that me and Frankenteen can lay you out on your ass any day of the week,' Puck shot back, loosening his grip and throwing Karofsky roughly away from him. 'Lopez could probably wear your balls as earrings, come to think about it.'

Karofsky opened his mouth to speak but Puck narrowed his gaze, feeling his eyes harden.

'The only reason I'm not ending you is because it'd piss someone off. But give me another reason and I'll go all Durden on your ass.' Puck made sure the smile he gave was feral, the hint of rage that was simmering underneath his skin leaking through to make his features more imposing.

Not even bothering to wait for a reply, Puck spun on his heel and glanced down at his bruised knuckles. Shit. Rachel was going to go all _Carrie _on his ass.

Puck smirked. Whatever. It had _totally _been worth it.


	10. Chapter 10

Rachel had never looked forward to Glee as much as she did now. Everything was better when she sang. Her heart would feel lighter, her shoulders would be less curved and for those few moments she could pretend that she was someone else.

_You've got my spawn inside your belly and I sure as hell am not going to risk some asshat doing anything to fuck you or my kid up._

Her eyes closed right before springing back open, the smile working its way across her face plumping up her cheeks. Rachel spotted the doors to the choir room up ahead, pulling absently at the loose t-shirt that had marked her as a victim to high school delinquency since lunch. A few stragglers whispered as she walked by them and Rachel made sure her head was held high. More than anything now wasn't the time to show weakness, to show these people that their words and gestures affected her. Because sooner rather than later Rachel was going to be a target, and she wasn't foolish enough to think that these students possessed the maturity to treat her situation with decorum.

Reaching the door, Rachel pinched her cheeks to give herself a rosy glow.

_You're Rachel Berry. You're a star._

'Good afternoon fellow glee clubbers,' Rachel said cheerfully, making sure there was an extra bounce in her step as she headed towards the front row. Santana rolled her eyes while Brittany reciprocated her greeting, Quinn raising an eyebrow. Mike, Matt and Finn were crowded around the drums, the rest of the original gleeks seated nearby. Rachel felt Puck's eyes on the side of her face and made a concerted effort to not look his way, instead smoothing her hands over her tights as she gracefully folded herself down into a chair in the middle of the row. A quick glance at the clock told her that Mr Schuester still had five minutes before Rachel could consider him tardy.

'Sup MILF?' A voice whispered into her ear and Rachel jerked away instinctively, finding Puck's hazel eyes inches away from her own.

'Noah,' Rachel hissed back, darting her gaze around. She sighed with relief when no one appeared to notice his words. Puck slouched down into the seat next to her, bending one knee while sprawling out the other leg. Rachel stiffened her spine, making sure her hands and knees were firmly tucked in. She missed the frown decorating Puck's face when he noticed this, or the way his fingers tightened over the curve of his knee.

'The next time you get slushied, you come to me. Got it?'

'I fail to see why,' Rachel responded.

'You're fucking kidding me right? Did we not go through this before?' Puck raised his voice slightly and Rachel narrowed her eyes in warning.

'You're not my keeper Puckerman.' Puck blinked at the use of his surname. 'I can take care of myself just fine. After all, you equipped me with the appropriate skill set.'

'Shit I said I was sorry for that, didn't I?'

'I saw Karofsky's face,' Rachel retorted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 'Let it be known that if you get suspended, I will be immensely disgruntled.'

'Immensely _what_?' Puck asked, sounding bewildered. Rachel stared straight ahead, almost sighing with relief when Mr Schue banged through the door in what she thought was a beautiful hunter green sweater.

'Hey guys, welcome back!' Mr Schue stood at the front, slapping his hands together. 'Ready for Regionals this year?'

'Not to worry Mr Schue, I already have our costumes sketched out,' Kurt informed him, smiling as he buffed his nails against his shirt. Mr Schue chuckled in response.

Rachel shot her hand up into the air, waiting patiently for the teacher to call on her. He did but not before Rachel noticed the slight dimming of his lips as he did so. Fixing her mouth, Rachel got to her feet and stood beside the New Directions chair.

'While I admire Mr Schuester's…rallying cry, might I remind you that we _barely _won Sectionals?' Rachel said, fisting her hands on her hips. 'I have taken the liberty of preparing-'

'Rachel,' Mr Schue placed his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her back towards her seat. 'While I admire your dedication, I think we-'

'Jacob Ben-Israel referred to our song selection as a drag queen's iPod!' Rachel protested.

'Really?' Mr Schue asked, taken aback.

'We're still considered the plankton of the McKinley food chain Mr Schue,' Kurt chipped in.

'That doesn't matter,' Mercedes brushed his comment off. 'We're a family and ain't no one gonna bust this dynamic up.'

Rachel felt the urge to splay her hand over her stomach. Would they still be her family when she was showing? When the whole school would consider her an outcast, a fallen star that belonged on the front page of a tabloid?

_Oh god. Would she be Bristol Palin? _

The thought made her collapse into her chair, her knees weak and her stomach rolling around like an unsteady wave. Rachel saw Puck open his mouth, as if he were going to ask her something, but she turned away before he could.

_Why are you doing this to him? You need him._

_I don't need him. What makes you think he's going to be there in nine months? Do you really think he's going to hold your hand, hold you when you need him to, be there when you need him to?_

_You can't need him for anything Rachel. Because right now he isn't anything but the boy who knocked you up. Noah Puckerman isn't even your friend. What makes you think he's going to be your-_

_Just stop it. Not now. _

_Look around you Rachel. Glee is all you're going to have in a few months. If this is really your family, you have to show them that you're committed, that they need you. That they can't just cast you aside because you're a liability._

'As admirable as it is that you guys have come together, Glee club is still in trouble. Principal Figgins gave us another year but we got lucky,' Mr Schue's words broke Rachel's train of thought. 'We need to prove to everyone that we've got the chops to make it. So everyone your assignment this week,' Mr Schue trailed off as a few people groaned. 'Your assignment this week is to find a new hello. Find a song that has hello in it and make it fresh.'

She already had the perfect one lodged in her head and it's dying to spill from her lips, practically begging for her to release it. Rachel jostled her foot impatiently, sucked in a breath and imagined herself on the stage of the auditorium, mouth parted as the melody lifted the words into the air.

**Playground school bell rings again****  
****Rain clouds come to play again****  
****Has no one told you she's not breathing?****  
****Hello I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to****  
****Hello******

**If I smile and don't believe****  
****Soon I know I'll wake from this dream****  
****Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken****  
****Hello I am the lie living for you so you can hide****  
****Don't cry******

**Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping****  
****Hello I'm still here****  
****All that's left of yesterday **

A quick squeeze of her shoulder made her eyes snap open in alarm. Puck's arm is by his side and she noticed that he's put a bit of space between them, as if she's an open powder keg and he's a lit match.

'Oh,' she murmured, realizing that the rest of the group were slowly filtering out of the room.

'You ready to go?' Puck asked, sticking his hand inside his pocket.

'Yes,' she answered, remembering with an internal wince that he had driven her here this morning. 'Let me procure my clothing from my locker and I'll meet you at your truck.'

'I'll come with you-'

'I assure you that no harm will come to your child,' Rachel bit back and Puck dipped his eyebrows in confusion. 'I'll just be a minute.'

'Whatever,' Puck mumbled before turning on his heel. Rachel watched him go a bit helplessly, heard his footsteps fade away before she headed towards her locker.

'All that's left of yesterday…' She sang, her voice barely above a whisper. Grabbing the duffle out of her locker, Rachel felt the weight in her hands more than usual.

'Mr Schue's right Berry,' she told herself harshly. 'It _is_ time for a new hello. Because yesterday…yesterday's already said goodbye.'

_But I'm still here._

**a/n: the song is 'hello' by evanescence. **


	11. QLD Flood Appeal Fic Auction

Hey guys!

I live in Brisbane and if you've seen the news recently, an area the size of France and Germany combined has now been declared a disaster zone. I've decided to sign up to a fic auction that raises funds for the Queensland Relief Fund so if you're interested in bidding, please head over to and make a bid for me (look for aswordsworth or alien09)!

waltzmatildah(dot)livejournal(dot)com(forwardslash)67134(dot)html?view=1419070#t1419070

I'm taking requests for Puckleberry for Glee; Tyler/Caroline for Vampire Diaries and Chlollie for Smallville.

If you guys could spread the word, would be much appreciated!


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